Ski boot

ABSTRACT

A ski boot made of a rigid material comprises a boot proper and a shaft pivotably connected to the boot proper and having its lower front portion cut off to enable it to tilt in a forward direction. An air bladder is provided in the cut off portion of the shaft and a pipe connected to the air bladder communicates the air bladder with the inside of the boot proper. A forward lean motion of the skier during skiing is utilized for compressing the air bladder and thereby providing ventilation inside the ski boot.

I n United States Patent [191 ,76,51 Mochizuki Jan. 22, 1974 i 1 SKI BOOT 2,716,293 8/1955 Rath 36/3 A 3,067,531 12/1962 Scott et al. [75] Invent Teisuya Mochlzlk" Japan 3,728,804 4/1973 Mochizuki 36/2.5 AL [73] Assignee: Hope Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo-to,

Japan Primary ExaminerPatrick D. Lawson [22] Filed: 26, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmCharles E. Brown et a].

[211 App]. No.: 335,815

[57] ABSTRACT [30] F i A li ti P i it D t A ski boot made of a rigid material comprises a boot Feb 29 1972 Japan i 47 24778 proper and a shaft pivotably connected to the boot proper and having its lower front portion cut off to en- 521 US. Cl. 36/2.5 AL 36/3 A able it to tilt in a forward direcfimair bladder is 51 Int. Cl A4 31 7/06 Pmvided in the cut POrtio" the Shaft and 3 Pipe [58] Field of searchnm 36/25 R 25 AL 3 R 3 A connected to the air bladder communicates the air 3 bladder with the inside of the boot proper. A forward lean motion of the skier during skiing is utilized for [56] References Cited compressing the air bladder and thereby providing UNITED STATES PATENTS ventilation inside the ski boot.

747,994 12/1903 Mayer et al 36/3 A 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SKI BOOT This invention relates to a ski boot and, more particularly, to a ski boot made of a rigid material comprising a boot proper and shaft pivotably connected to the boot proper.

It is a recent tendency for skiers to use ski boots made of rigid materials such as metals and rigid plastics. These ski boots made of a rigid material generally consist of a boot proper and a shaft portion which is pivotably connected to the boot proper. One disadvantage of this type of ski boot is that inasmuch as these rigid materials are impermeable to air and the inside of the boot is substantially hermetically closed against the outside air, the skiers feet will get damp because of illventilation inside the boot and this seriously impairs pleasantness of skiing. This situation will not improve even if the skier wears inner boots which are relatively permeable to air.

It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide a ski boot which has eliminated the above described disadvantage of the conventional ski boot made of a rigid material.

It is another object of the invention to provide a ski boot in which a forward leaning motion of the skier during skiing is utilized for compressing an air bladder provided in a cut off front portion of the shaft and thereby providing ventilation inside the ski boot.

It is another object of the invention to provide a ski boot in which a fresh outside air is supplied inside the boot at each forward leaning motion of the skier.

It is another object of the invention to provide a ski boot in which this air bladder serves as a buffer for absorbing shock accompanying the forward leaning motion of the skier.

The inventive ski boot will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the ski boot according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the ski boot and;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the air bladder employed in the inventive ski boot.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a ski boot 1 comprises a boot proper 3 having a sole 2 formed integrally therewith and a shaft 4 for enclosing the skiers leg. This shaft 4 is pivotally connected at either lower side portion thereof to either upper side portion of the boot proper 3 so that it may tilt in a forward direction.

In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the shaft 4 consists of left and right shaft members which are connected to each other at the rear edges thereof by means of a hinge 5 and can be closed in front portions by means of a buckle or the like. Each of the shaft members has a rearwardly extending hook 6 secured at the middle lower end portion thereof. This hook 6 is received in a recess 7 formed in either upper side of the boot proper 3 and is engaged with a pin 8 fixed to the boot proper 3 for pivoting around it. The lower front portion of each shaft member is obliquely cut off as shown in the figures to enable the shaft to tilt in a forward direction.

In the inventive ski boot, an air bladder 10 is pro vided in the cut off portion of the shaft 4. The air bladder 10 is bonded, in its upper portion, to an inside lower edge portion of the shaft 4 and, in its lower portion, to an inside upper edge portion of the boot proper 3. Thus, the air bladder 10 is interposed in a water-tight manner between a lower edge 40 of the shaft 4 and an upper edge 9 of the boot proper 3.

The air bladder 10 is made of a flexible material such as plastic and is crescent-shaped as is best seen in FIG. 3 to conform generally to the contour of the hollow space defined by the lower edge 4a of the shaft 4 and the upper edge 9 of the boot proper 3. In a preferred embodiment, the air bladder 10 has horizontal folds 10a formed in parallel to one another. These folds add flexibility to the air bladder 10 and ensure a smooth compression and expansion of the air bag 10. A pipe 11 is connected to the air bladder 10 at the lower front portion thereof. This pipe 11 extends forwardly along the inside surface of the front portion of the boot proper It) and the tip 11a of the pipe 11 opens toward the toes of the skier. Reference numeral 14 designates a cylinder assembly which serves as a buffer for absorbing shock accompanying forward leaning of the skier. It will be appreciated that the folds formed on the air bladder 10 also serve as a buffer for absorbing shock when the skier leans forwardly.

When the skier takes a forward lean position during skiing, the shaft 4 tilts forwardly relative to the boot proper 3 thereby compressing the air bladder 10 between the lower edge 4a of the shaft 4 and the upper edge 9 of the boot proper 3. Accordingly, the air contained in the air bladder 10 jets out of the tip 11a of the pipe 11 into the inside of the boot proper 3. As the skier returns to an upstanding position from the forward lean position, the air bladder 10 is expanded and air is sucked into the air bladder 10 through the pipe 11. Thus, the air bladder 10 again holds sufficient air for a next jetting.

In a modified example of the ski boot according to the invention, a discharge valve 12 shown by a dotted line in FIG. 3 is provided at a suitable place in a passage between the air bladder 10 and the tip 11a of the pipe 11 and a suction valve 13 shown by a dotted line in FIG. 3 is provided on the portion exposed to the outside air of the air bladder 10. In the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the discharge valve 12 is provided at the root of the pipe 11. According to this construction, a fresh outside air is supplied to the inside of the boot proper 3 each time the skier takes a forward lean position. Thus, a pleasant skiing is ensured by providing a proper ventilationin the boot proper 3.

What is claimed is:

1. A ski boot made of a rigid material comprising a boot proper, a shaft pivotably connected to said boot proper and having its lower front portion cut off to enable it to tilt in a forward direction, an air bladder provided in said cut off portion of the shaft and a pipe connected to said air bladder and communicating the inside of said air bladder with the inside of the boot proper.

2. A ski boot as defined in claim I which further comprises a suction valve provided on the portion exposed to the outside air of said air bladder and a discharge valve provided at a desired place in a passage between said air bladder and the foremost tip of said pipe.

3. A ski boot as defined in claim 1 in which said air bladder has horizontal folds in its front portion. 

1. A ski boot made of a rigid material comprising a boot proper, a shaft pivotably connected to said boot proper and having its lower front portion cut off to enable it to tilt in a forward direction, an air bladder provided in said cut off portion of the shaft and a pipe connected to said air bladder and communicating the inside of said air bladder with the inside of the boot proper.
 2. A ski boot as defined in claim 1 which further comprises a suction valve provided on the portion exposed to the outside air of said air bladder and a discharge valve provided at a desired place in a passage between said air bladder and the foremost tip of said pipe.
 3. A ski boot as defined in claim 1 in which said air bladder has horizontal folds in its front portion. 